Mistaken Identity
by Jellybob 15
Summary: Link finds out one day that he is not as ordinary as he seems. He's actually the Hero of Time who has to save the land of Hyrule from Ganon's wrath. Why doesn't he remember saving Hyrule from Ganon before? LinkZelda! Chapter three revised!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Do not own Zelda, but I do own Link.

A/N: This takes place after Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Link is just an ordinary boy in Kokiri forest, that is, until one day he discovers that he is not so ordinary. Is he really the Hero of Time.....or is Zelda just mistaken. Hmmmm.....READ! *_* 

The darn fairy(NAVI): She's in Italic with * attached

Plain _Italic_ is a voice, memory, or Link's thoughts.

Title: _Mistaken Identity _

Chapter One: _Zelda's Disappearance_

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*Link! Link!*

I heard in my head as I opened my eyes to see a blurry vision of my fairy companion, Navi. As my eyes started to adjust to the surrounding area, I noticed that Navi was carrying something. Too tired to care, I slowly started to close my eyes again until I felt something collide with my head. I shook my head and sat up to see Navi snickering in the corner. I was about to ask what amused her so, but I realized that she hit me with the small parchment she was carrying. I gave a sarcastic smirk and undid the parchment to see a picture of a young girl, about my age, seventeen, wearing the royal house symbol on her clothes.

As I read the paragraph that followed the picture, I soon learned that the young girl was actually the Princess of Hyrule. I blushed with embarrassment, due to the fact that I didn't know what the Princess looked like, and continued to read the section. As I skimmed the paper from left to right, I could only make out that she has gone missing and that there was a huge reward for her rescuer. I sighed deeply and left the rest of the information for Navi to decipher. We Kokiri people received little to no education. Most of what we learned was thanks to the Great Deku tree who served and protected all the Kokiri people.

As I signaled to Navi that the parchment was hers for the taking, I opened up the dresser, that I built using Deku branch, and took out a clean green tunic and some white stockings. I yawned and walked toward the opening of my treehouse. Yes, my house was a tree. Why? All the Kokiri people felt that it symbolized their love for the great Deku Tree. I snorted. Yup, cutting and carving trees really showed your admiration for the tree god.

As I climbed down the ladder, the sounds of children filled my ears. I smiled and made my way toward a small pond, where I would freshen up. As I rested my clothes by the side of the pond, I stuck my toe in the pond to test the water. Perfect. As I got into position to dive into the water, I suddenly heard someone scream my name.

*LINK!*

Navi, I thought, just before I lost my balance and fell into the water. Once I resurfaced, I looked over to see Navi frantically flying over the pond. What was her problem all of a sudden? Was there something wrong? I don't think I ever seen her so agitated over something. Time to investigate.

I quickly got out of the pool and looked over to Navi. "What's the matter?"

She flew over to me and yelled, "castle guards are after you.....they think you kidnapped the Princess."

"I don't understand. I don't even know the Princess, let alone, know where she lives....why would they-"

"Before she vanished, Zelda, the Princess, told her father about a premonition she had. It was about a

Kokiri boy who would save all of Hyrule from a great and evil power. She believed that he had already saved Hyrule once before to the King of Evil, Ganondorf. The worst part of it all, she thinks that it is.....you, Link."

I swallowed hard and said, ".....me?"

Navi nodded. That's when something went through my mind.

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Thank you for saving Hyrule, Link, but I do believe it's time for me to send you back home......

I shook my head and gasped. What the hell was that?

This wasn't the first time I heard or saw something that didn't belong to me. It has been happening all my life. Navi even hears me talking in my sleep about something she has not seen me do, or say. Like when I yelled in my sleep that I would not marry Princess Ruto. I mean, who exactly was Princess Ruto? She sounded like a fish.

"Wait," I said softly, "that still doesn't explain why they're after me."

Navi sighed. "The King is ignorant. Since Zelda spoke only of you the night she disappeared....the blame fell in your hands."

"No...this isn't right...." I said as I put on my boots, "no...."

I broke into a run. I couldn't take the weight that was just placed on my shoulders. I wouldn't let the King accuse me of kidnapping his daughter.

My feet led me to the entrance of the Great Deku Tree. I was about to go in when I heard, "DON'T TAKE ANOTHER STEP!"

I looked around for the voice, but I could not find it. That's when a figure dropped down in front of me out of nowhere. Mido.

"And what do you think you are doing?" He asked as I sighed.

Mido was trouble.

"I'm going to see the Deku Tree.....what does it look like?" I asked sarcastically.

Mido spit. "Scram. Why would the Great Deku Tree want to see you?"

Mess with the bull get the horns.

"Step aside, or else..." That's when I grabbed him by the scruff of his collar and held him above my head.

He tried to break free, but my grip was too strong. He decided to play nice instead. "Please, let me down."

"Fine." I said as I dropped him on the floor and walked past him.

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*You know...that wasn't necessary, Link*

I hated Navi's point of view sometimes. She always thought that she knew what was talking about. No, she didn't.

"Yeah..." I responded as I started seeing the branches of the Great Deku Tree.

Finally, I was face-to-face with the wise Deku Tree. The one that breathed life into the Kokiri Forest and watched over the Children of the Forest-the Kokiri children. I took a deep breath and was about to speak when the Deku Tree asked, "what troubles you so?"

I wasn't shocked by the Deku Tree's question. He knew all. "The King thinks I kidnapped Zelda."

"I see," he said slowly. "...because Zelda had a premonition about you.."

"Yes," I said quietly, "but in the premonition, she thought I was the 'Hero of Time' too."

The wise tree sighed. "Link, before I tell you something that could change your life, do you think there is a chance you could be? Did you ever feel like something was missing from your life. Or when you looked at something....did it bring back an old memory....?"

"Are you saying that I am this 'Hero of Time' as Zelda claims?" I asked as he sighed.

"Answer my questions first." He said with a dignified tone.

I thought about the questions for a moment and answered, "yes.....sometimes I feel that my life shouldn't be like this.....like if I should be doing something else, but I think it's just a feeling everyone feels sometimes." I stopped and looked at the Deku Tree, who was not satisfied by my answer. I decided to continue. "As far as memories....I do see visions that show an unfamiliar scene. But, the thing I don't understand is......I'm in all of them. It seems silly, but I feel like I am living someone else's life."

"Hmm..." He pondered slowly. "You are not that way off, I'm afraid."

I was confused. "What are you saying?"

"Link," he sighed, "it's very hard to explain....and I am not sure if you are ready for it."

No. I needed to know. After all, I needed to know why the King and Zelda think I, Link, am this 'Hero of Time.'

"Please," I pleaded, "I can take it."

"I knew this day would come." He paused. "The truth is Link, I have been hiding something from you. I've tried countless times to tell you, but I feared that this information might indeed turn you away from Kokiri Forest and Hyrule." I nodded for him to continue. "Link, when you were first summoned to Kokiri Forest....you were abandoned by your parents and you had no fairy to guide you on your countless travels. One day, Navi was called upon to show you your true destiny. That was to become the Hero of Time." He looked away from me. "Once you collected three spiritual stones that possessed great and mysterious power.....you used them to free the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time. With the Master Sword in hand, you became the Hero of Time."

I gaped at him for a moment before asking, "why don't I remember any of this?"

"The thing is, Link, you weren't supposed to remember." My eyes widened from this statement. "After you defeated Ganon with the Master Sword, Zelda wanted to send you back to when Ganon wasn't a threat to anyone. She succeeded, but now there is a new threat in Hyrule. I'm still not sure who is behind it, but I do suspect that he or she may have something to do with Zelda's sudden disappearance."

I blinked. "So...I have to....find Zelda?"

"Link, I want you to follow your own conscience." He paused. "If you do choose to re-live your destiny, than these are yours....."

That's when a small treasure chest appeared out of nowhere. I looked at it with great curiosity, but knew the dire consequences of opening it. Should I become the Hero of Time again? But then as I thought about the role I lived before, I started to think, "do I still know how?"

I decided to open the treasure chest. It wasn't for me, it was for the missing Zelda. I couldn't just let captor get away with it, especially since they thought that I kidnapped the Princess. As I reached forward and unlatched the lock, a mysterious glow blinded my eyes. After recovering, I looked at the chest again to see a reflection of myself in a......_Mirror Shield_. I froze, knowing that Mirror Shield's were the top quality shields in Hyrule. Was I that good a fighter?

I put the shield aside and continued to look through the chest. I was amazed by the gadgets and potions I collected during my quests. I mean, you could fight an army with these kind of weapons! I chuckled and pulled out a large wooden bow. I could tell that it was used a lot by the feeble string attached to the bow. I looked back down for arrows, but all I could find were crystalized arrows. One red, one blue, and one....yellow......

Link, take this with you. It's the light arrow, your only hope against Ganondorf. Use it wisely........

"Zelda....." I said softly.

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*What was that, Link?*

"Zelda gave this arrow to me before I set off to fight Ganon." I said as I looked at the arrow. "The golden gift from Zelda..."

"That's correct, Hero of Time," a muffled voice said from behind me.

I turned around to see a youth with blonde hair wearing a mask. What was with the mask? As I stared at the figure, I kept getting this strange feeling that I knew him. Wait. The figure called me the Hero of Time....so that must mean that we have met before. I just hoped that it was a friendly meaning.

My curiosity got the best of me when I asked, "who are you?"

The figure smiled and brushed a hand through a piece of hair that was sticking out from the white wrap he was wearing. Was he happy that I didn't know who he was?

From the way the figure smirked, that was an automatic yes, but something about him made me feel quite.....relaxed.

That's when the Deku Tree grunted loudly. I looked up at the Tree God, but his eyes were only on the figure. I was getting annoyed. Why wouldn't anyone tell me what was going on here? Was I supposed to know who this figure was?

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Who am I? The name is Sheik. I am the messenger for the sages.

Okay, that really answered my questions. I sighed deeply and looked back at the figure who was staring at the light arrow I had in my hand. I decided draw his attention away from the arrow by asking, "what do you want from me, Sheik?"

He smiled again. I growled at him, angry for his lack of explanation. Who did he think he was?

"Mind your temper, Link," he whispered to me, "I only come to see if my premonition was true."

Premontion? Then that must mean that Sheik is none other than......._Zelda._

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~To be continued......~

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I hope you liked the first chapter. I probably won't update this in awhile, so don't expect me to update too soon. Um....I know that this chapter is kinda screwy, but that's because I wrote it on my laptop and it came out completely different from what I wanted. Well, I hope to update soon. ^_^ 


	2. Her story

Disclaimer: Do not own Zelda, but I do own Link.

A/N: This takes place after Zelda: The Ocarina of Time. Link is just an ordinary boy in Kokiri forest, that is, until one day he discovers that he is not so ordinary. Is he really the Hero of Time.....or is Zelda just mistaken. Hmmmm.....READ! *_*

The darn fairy(NAVI): She's in Italic with * attached

Plain Italic is a voice, memory, or Link's thoughts.

Title: _Mistaken Identity_

Chapter Two: _Her story_

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I had to disguise myself, Link. Ganondorf was after me and I knew that you would try to protect me if I revealed my true self. You don't need distractions now. Ganondorf needs to fall, and you are the only one who can bring him to his knees. Please, don't worry about me. I'm perfectly capable of carrying my own weight.

"You're Zelda....."

Sheik nodded and said, "yes, I've come to rescue you."

Wait, I thought I was the Hero of Time here. And even if I wasn't, I think I could manage castle guards. I mean, I was one of three protectors of Kokiri Forest. Mido and Saria were the other two. I cocked an eyebrow up and looked at Zelda. She only laughed at my facial expression.

"Sometimes even the Hero of Time needs rescuing." She said, reading my mind.

I frowned. "So you know that castle guards are after me?"

"Unforunately, I heard the news as I was walking through the marketplace in Hyrule." Zelda sighed. "I'm sorry to get you involved, Link."

"Why did you leave the castle?" I asked, looking away from her. "Surely you weren't kidnapped."

Zelda sat on one of the Deku Tree's roots. "No, I wasn't kidnapped. I had another premonition that night...."

She zoned out for a moment, but shook out of her daze and said, "Link, someone wants you dead."

I choked. "What!?"

Did everyone want a piece of me today?

"I shouldn't have said anything," Zelda said as she stood up, "we have to leave before the castle guards see you here."

"No," I pulled her shoulder back, "you can't just drop a bomb like that."

Zelda rubbed her temple. "Link, it's not a good time to talk about this."

"SOMEONE WANTS ME DEAD! IT'S A PERFECT TIME TO TALK ABOUT IT!" I yelled angrily.

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*Link, we need to leave...now*

"Not until I get some answers." I said as I folded my arms.

That's when something rushed past me, nearly missing my head. My eyes widened at the sight of an arrow that plunged into the Deku Tree's bark. I froze and looked around to see ten guards readying their bows at me. This wasn't good.

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*Oh no, it's the guards....*

"You won't get any answers if you're dead!" Zelda yelled as she grabbed my arm and started running.

Arrows flung past us as Zelda dragged me in the direction of Kokiri Forest. _Wait. _I left my weapons behind. I pulled away from Zelda, and ran in the direction of the guards. I know it sounds like a crazy stunt, but if we encounter this "great and powerful evil," than I will totally useless in the assault to destroy it.

"LINK!" I heard Zelda yell as some guards started running toward me.

"Okay, Hero of Time, lets see what you got" I whispered as I tripped one of the guards and punched one in the face.

Ouch. That punch nearly crippled my hand, but I kept running until I reached the chest. Alright, shield, bows, arrows, ummm....what's this? I didn't have time to examine the weapon, so I just grabbed it and started running toward Zelda. Once doing so, I realized that the guards had surrounded us.

"Any ideas," Zelda whispered as I shook my head.

She looked around until she spotted the weapon in my hand. She grabbed it and pointed it toward the Deku Tree's highest branch. The weapon shot a hooked chain toward the branch and made a clunk sound once it hit its target. Zelda looked at me and whispered, "grab my waist."

I obeyed and the hooked chain took us up toward the branch. Once on top of the branch, I could see the guards draw out their bows again. I was about to panic, but their arrows could not reach the height of the branch. I turned to Zelda and said, "what was that weapon?"

"The longshot." She smiled. "I think the same is pretty self-explanatory."

I nodded and looked around to see a nice view of Kokiri Forest. I smiled and sat down on the branch.

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*So, are you guys going to stand here all day?*

Zelda sat next to me and said, "the longshot can reach nothing in the distance. We may have to wait here until the guards leave."

"Huh!?" I breathed, knowing that I would rather face guards than stay in this tree all day.

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*Hmm....I think I have a friend who can help....*

That's when Navi flew away toward the land of Hyrule. Navi had a friend in Hyrule? I thought that she had never been to Hyrule? Wait, what if she was another one who knew of my past? Why does everyone seem to know about my past BUT me!?

"Link?" Zelda asked as I turned toward her. "I know I said this before, but I am really sorry about this."

"Zelda, how did this whole kidnapping mess happen if you weren't kidnapped?" I asked curiously.

She sighed. "Once I had the premonition about you, I had to find you and tell you. My father didn't want me to go after you because I was supposed to have a dinner arrangement with Nonag, the Prince of Gerudo Valley*, but my mind was set on finding the Hero of Time." She paused and gave a deep sigh. "Before I told my father goodbye though, I overheard my father and Nonag talking about how they can get rid of the Hero of Time by sending me off somewhere for awhile and telling the public, in the meantime, that I was kidnapped by the Hero of Time."

*I know Gerudo Valley is ruled by woman, but remember! This is before Ganon and all other evil set foot in Hyrule and other lands. So, Gerudo Valley will have some men ruling the valley.*

"What happened then?" I asked as Zelda looked down at the guards still trying to shoot arrows at us.

"When I walked into the room, my father told me that he had important business for me to attend to in Goron City before I left to seek the Hero of Time. I agreed, but as soon as my carriage left the next morning, I told my bodyguard, Impa, about what my father plans to do. She told me to go after the Hero of Time, while she deals with this 'important' trip to Goron City. I just hope my father hasn't figured out that I am not in Goron City." She whispered the last sentence to herself.

"Why did they want to get rid of me?" I asked as she looked straight into my eyes.

"Since I told so many stories of you and your countless travels, my father thought that...umm...that we were together. This upset him because he wanted me to marry nobility. That wasn't the only reason though." Zelda sighed again. "My father and Nonag made arrangements that when I got married to Nonag, my father would build waterways that connected Hyrule Castle to the land of the Gerudo." She growled. "They both agreed on this waterway because trade was important between the Gerudo and the Hyrulians. If they built a waterway, it would make trade and travel much faster."

I blinked. "Do you love Nonag?"

"No, but my father puts the prosperity of Hyrule before my happiness." Zelda said as she hid a tear.

"I'm sorry," I said as I put an arm around her shoulder. "I didn't mean to open old wounds."

She shook her head. "Nonsense. I know you seek answers, and I plan to deliver them to you."

I smiled and was about to say something when Navi caught my eye. But she wasn't alone.

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*I hope I didn't take too long..*

Zelda shook her head and asked, "who's your friend?"

I looked at the scruffy-looking owl and felt something jolt past my mind.

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Hoot. Hoot. Link! Look up here! Do you need a lift to Death Mountain?

"Kaepora Gaepora at your service, Princess," the old owl said as he perched on the branch we were sitting on.

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*What are you waiting for? Sit on his back!*

Once Zelda and I had a good hold of the owl's back, he spread his wings and took flight. I stuck my tongue out at the guards and watched as we flew over Kokiri Forest. As we entered the land of Hyrule, I wondered where we would take shelter. My question was answered when we settled down near a lake.

"Here we are," Kaepora said as we jumped off his back.

Zelda smiled. "Good spot. No one has been going here since a fisher was attacked by a bat."

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*Next time, go a little....slower...Kaepora...*

Navi said exhaustedly as she landed in my hair.

I shook my head playfully at her and walked toward the pond. It was beautiful.

My gaze was broken from the pond when Kaepora said that he was going to play look-out while we relaxed here.

"Thank you," Zelda said as she waved at the owl.

As I looked back at the pond, Zelda sat next to me and said, "we used to go here all the time."

I cocked an eyebrow up. "We did?"

She laughed. "Yeah. We would skip rocks and play the ocarina 'til the sun set."

That's when I said something that shocked Zelda and myself. "I remember."

"You....remember?" She asked as I nodded.

"Somewhat. I remember us riding our horses toward the pond and then we would sit and talk about Hyrule."

She smiled. "I can't believe you remember that!"

"I remember a lot of things, but I don't understand most of it." I admitted.

"Link," Zelda said as I looked at her. "I think it's time that I gave this back to you."

That's when she handed me a flute-like musical instrument. Once I touched the majestic object, I swallowed hard and fiddled with the holes. Zelda smiled at me and said, "it's the Ocarina of Time. It's the instrument I used to send you back to your own time."

I placed it to my lips and blew into the instrument. The sound that came out was beautiful. After playing with the keys a couple of times, I finally decided to play a tune. As I played this tune, my fingers knew exactly where to go, like if they had played it before. I stopped and registered the tune. It sounded like a lullaby. I looked over to Zelda to see her softly crying. That's when she looked up and gave me a hug. I accepted and let her cry on my shoulder.

"You......are....the Hero of Time." She cried in between sobs.

I was taken back, but kept my embrace strong.

"I'm sorry, Link, it's just that...." she paused and looked at me. "You're the only one outside the Royal Family that knows that tune."

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This is an ancient melody passed down by the Royal Family. It's the serene melody known as Zelda's

Lullaby.

"Zelda's Lullaby." I whispered as she nodded.

"Yes," she pulled down her mask and wiped her tears. _"I can't believe you have come back to me, Link."_

I didn't hear the last part because I was staring at her. Even though I saw a picture of her on the parchment, that picture did not even catch the depths of her beauty. I felt like I was sailing on an endless ocean when I looked into her eyes. Her skin looked so soft to the touch that I wished she would embrace me again. Her lips were like, well, lets just say I wanted to take her in my arms right now and kiss her. I shook out of my daze and looked back at the pond.

She smiled and rested her head on the grass. I was about to follow her actions, when I realized that I had the Mirror Shield on my back. I took it off and rested my head in my arms. As we looked at the stars, we were interrupted by Kaepora Gaepora who landed roughly on the ground beside us. As I sat up, I noticed that he placed a scroll by our feet. Zelda picked it up and unraveled it to read the article. It said that Zelda was no where to be seen as the castle guards tried to capture me in Kokiri Forest.

"I feel like a real criminal when I read this," I said as Zelda shook her head playfully.

Her smile faded once she came to a section about Nonag. I asked her what it was about and she answered, "Nonag says that he is trying everything in his power to return me to safety. He says that once I return, he will feed you to the hungry Octoroks in Zora's River."

"Sounds like fun," I said as she chuckled.

"Well, we better...." Her words trailed off as she looked into my mirror shield.

I followed her gaze, but found nothing of interest. "Zelda?"

"Look at Nonag's name...." She said nervously.

I looked from the scroll to the mirror shield to see that Nonag's name backwards was......

GANON

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~To be continued.......~

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*insert evil laugh* I wonder what is going to happen next!? Well, I hope you understood everything in this chappie. I know it was kind of confusing, but stick by me!!! Anyway, I hope to get the next chapter soon. Thanks for the reviews; Link's Lover, Keren, Sailor Aries2, Dragon's Destiny2k2, Starlightnymph, Zelda the 7th Sage 


	3. A look to the Past

Disclaimer: Do not own Zelda, but I do own Link.

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A/N (1): I kinda left you all hanging with this fic, huh? Sorry for the lack of updates, it wasn't because I was busy, I just totally lost interest in this fic. Not to worry though, I figured out why. Chapter three sucked major deku nuts, so I decided to revise it, in other words, write it over. Please tell me what you think!!!!

A/N (2): *looks at one of the reviews* You're right, this fic COULD be a lot better! Thanks for bringing that to my attention! I'm sorry it didn't live up to your taste. What can I say? You win some, ya lose some! @____@

Title: _Mistaken Identity_

Chapter Three: _A look to the Past_

"Ganon!?" I questioned, obviously not believing what the Mirror Shield revealed.

Zelda remained still, silently looking at the parchment in her hands. It seemed that the news of Nonag actually being the famous Gerudo thief brought her into a state of shock. I didn't try to snap her out of it, after all, this was the person that brought Hyrule to its darkest days in history. He was also the reason why I lost those seven years of my life. Even though I got them back, my life would never be...normal again. I would always be plagued by abhorrent dreams of him.

"Damn your bloody eyes!" I angrily grabbed the scroll away from Zelda and threw it into the pond.

Zelda awakened from her trance and looked at me, "Link?"

"How does a pathetic man like Ganon escape a void like that!?" I stood up, watching the paper sink into the depths of the pond. "I remember you telling me that it was all over and now Hyrule would be safe again, but it isn't. He's back and I know he's out for revenge."

"Slow down," Zelda brought herself to her feet. "This isn't the right time to get frustrated."

"Oh, so when is it? When he brings the Hyrulian people to their knees _again_!?"

She shook her head violently. "No! _No! _How can you say that? I know what Ganon is capable of and I will NOT see him repeat history! I've been through it once and I cannot bear to see it again. Don't you remember!? I almost risked my life to save Hyrule!"

I turned away from her. "...as did I."

"Link, I know-"

"No!" I faced her again, "you don't know! There were times when I almost died! _Died_, Zelda! And for what!? Hyrulians treated the Kokiri people like spit! Why save them, huh!? Why? Because it was my destiny! I was and still am the Hero of Time! Nothing will change that...EVER! Not even sending me back in time! That part of me will never disappear. What were you thinking!? Maybe if you didn't send me back in time he would have never escaped!"

Zelda bit her lip, clearly holding back tears. "I know you're confused, but it was for the best-"

"For who? Look where it got us!"

"I know!" Tears stained her pulpy cheeks.

"Do you?" I didn't want to make her cry, but my anger got the best of me.

She stepped forward angrily. "How dare you!? If you forgotten, I was Sheik! Along with keeping Hyrule in order, I helped you on your quest to defeat Ganon. Don't you dare tell me that I don't know!" She wiped a tear away, but kept her current position, "I didn't want to send you back, Link! I told you that when I held that ocarina. I didn't send you back for me, it was all for you! I wanted you to _live_ those seven years! You would never get that chance anywhere else!"

"I told you that I didn't want to go!" Everything seemed to be coming back to me.

Her eyes lowered from mine. "I couldn't go back on my decision."

"Couldn't or didn't want to?"

"I couldn't," she whispered, "It wasn't my place...it was the sages."

"Do you even believe that?" I asked as she raised an eyebrow objectionably.

"I do, in fact," she folded her arms, "and I will stand behind my decision."

"Just remember that your decision might result in the loss of a lot of lives." I walked toward the pond and looked at my reflection. "The Hero of Time is no more. There is no way I could be the person I was back then." I fell to my knees and dipped a hand into the ice cold water.

"Do you want to save the Kokiri people, your own flesh and blood?"

I stopped and watched the water ripple, "what?"

"If you can't be the Hero of Time, who will save them?" She questioned, stepping forward.

"I..." I looked at my reflection, realizing that I was their only hope. "I will...me...Link.."

"So will the Hero of Time," Zelda knelt beside me, "if you let him."

Not knowing how to respond to her statement, I kept my eyes fixed on the water.

"How will we find him?"

"Ganon?" I turned toward her, "wouldn't he be with your father?"

"No, he's too..._father_!" She jolted upward and looked toward the direction of Hyrule Castle.

I stood up and put a hand on her shoulder, "I don't think Ganon is up to anything yet."

"Link! This is all my fault!"

"Zel-"

"You were right! I'm to blame for Ganon's return!" Fresh tears scattered down her face, "you wanted to stay and be with your new friends, but the sages talked me into sending you back. I could have dismantled their judgment, but I wanted...." She crashed into my arms, "I wanted you to be happy."

I buried my face into her hair, the redolent smell of lilies flooded my nostrils. "No, it's not your fault. I...I should be grateful that you wanted to give me my life back. I shouldn't have blamed you...and I'm...sorry.." There was no more words after my apology. We just stood there, holding each other as if we were the other's crutch.

"Link..." She whispered as I opened my eyes and ran a hand through her hair. Everything about her seemed so familiar to me, though my memory was shot. I remembered the feel of her hair, the smell of her, even her touch brought back memories. Could I have loved her in the past? Were we together? I know I would have to wait to ask that question. Now, we needed to destroy Ganon before he turns Hyrule Castle into his again.

As I looked on toward the pond, I noticed that part of it was shaking furiously. "We're being followed.."

"Huh?" She asked as I pulled away delicately.

"Maybe Nonag is up to something," I looked around for any signs of life, "it's coming from Hyrule Castle."

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*Let me go check*

Navi was about to be on her way when a dozen Hyrulian soldiers appeared on a cliff, their weapons in hand. Deja Vu? Not quite. This time there were no trees or high buildings in sight. Not even Kaepora could fly us to safety. We would have to fight this time.

"I'll handle this," Zelda turned to the soldiers. "Lower your weapons! That is an order!"

The soldiers did not obey. Instead, one stepped forward, "we only follow the orders of Nonag."

"Nonag has already gotten to them, Zelda!" I yelled, but she did not step down.

"As the Princess of Hyrule, I order you to lower your weapons!" As she stepped forward, they equipped their weapons. "This is your last warning, soldiers! I will not repeat myse-" At first I could not see what happened, but then I realized that one of the soldiers had fired an arrow.

"ZELDA!" Though it was too late, I ran up to the fallen princess. Her eyes were closed and her left shoulder soaked in her own blood. "Zelda! Wake up! You're going to be okay!" It was no use, unless my words helped reassure myself. Tearing off a piece of her sleeve, I pressed the cloth to the wound in hopes of stopping the blood.

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*Link! She'll be okay! You need to worry about your own life now!*

Grabbing the Mirror Shield, I gave one last look at Zelda before charging at the soldiers with a Kokiri sword, which was given to me by the princess early on. The soldiers fired their weapons, but oddly enough, I dodged all of them and went in for the kill. Slicing my way through two of them, I ran toward another pair of men who looked ready to fight. I plunged forward to stab one, but they dodged and grazed my right arm. The damage was mild, but I would have to be careful next time. I stepped back and then jumped forward for an aerial attack. Alright, three down, nine to go. I'm on a roll.......

"AHHH!" Three men charged toward me, spears handled above their heads.

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*Link! Run!*

For once, Navi was right. There was no way I could plow through those men unharmed. I ran away from them, trying to lose at least two of them. My plan would have worked if it wasn't for the other six who blocked my entry. As I turned around, the three were now encircling me.

*Link!*

"Anytime now, Hero of Time," I whispered as I tightened my grip around my weapon.

Looking around for any sign of escape, my eyes rested upon the limp body that was Zelda. Naryu, I couldn't give up now. Zelda believed in me, I couldn't let her down. But, what could I do? I didn't have the longshot wait the Mirror Shield! It had to have the ability to....

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"You'll never win, boy!"

The dark man went in for an attack, "this is where you meet your creator!"

As the man brought his fist toward the fairy boy, the boy lifted up a glass shield, which blocked the man's attack, but also..

"It has the ability to reflect it!"

Raising the shield to the belt on my waist, I waited patiently for one of the soldiers to attack. Finally, one of the men charged forward and struck my shield. They found themselves plunged back with their own attack. "Ha! This isn't so-"

"Nonag wanted you preferably alive, but you can't always get what you want." I barely heard because I had plummeted over the head by one of the soldiers. "Any last words, little Kokiri boy?" The man drew his blade toward my neck, where it pierced the outer layer of my skin. "Well?"

"I.." It was hard to talk, even breathe for that matter, with the blade so close to my throat.

"It's not your time yet, Link!"

The man that had pinned me down was thrown to the floor by a Gerudo woman, around my age...maybe older. She looked down at me and smiled, "looks like you could use some help." She put her hand out to help me. "Seems I came just in time."

I accepted, "who are you?"

"Nabooru," she answered as she turned away from me and threw her dagger into the chest of one of the soldiers. "I came as soon as I heard that Zelda was injured." She looked over to Zelda and then back at me. "Look after her, I'll take care of them."

I nodded gratefully as I trotted over to where Zelda was. The cloth I had put on her wound had now soaked in her blood. This wasn't good. I knelt down next to her and looked at the arrow sticking out of her shoulder. I had to take it out before....no I couldn't think like that.

"Is she alright?" The Gerudo woman dropped to her knees and put two fingers to Zelda's wrist. "It's slow.."

I looked down at Zelda sympathetically, "what are we going to do?"

"First," she took out a small red bottle. "This is potion. Brewed from rare herbs and boiled in enchanted cauldron, this will restore her vitality and any magic she may have lost." She titled the bottle into Zelda's mouth until it ran dry. "Alright, now it's time to get the arrow out."

"What will you-?" I stopped when she grasped the arrow firmly and pulled it out.

"What?" She threw the arrow to the side, "did you have a better way?"

I shook my head as she took out a handkerchief and placed it on her wound. "Will she be alright?"

"Apparently you don't know Zelda that well." She caused me to raise an eyebrow.

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Link! Get out of here! Now!

"You! You're a...sage.." My outburst made her turn and look at me.

"Yes, Link," her frown warmed into a smile, "I knew you would remember me."

I did remember, but not too much. "Did you hear about Ganon?"

"Yes." She did not elaborate on her answer. Instead, she brought herself to her feet and looked around. "We need to find a safe place before night falls." I only stared up at her. "Ganon will be sure to send more soldiers this way. Do you have any place in mind?"

"No," I looked back down at Zelda. "Not from what I remember."

"My horse is out in front."

I scooped Zelda into my arms, "where will we go?"

She placed her dagger back in its sheath, ignoring the question I asked before her. As I started walking, I forgot that Kaepora was waiting patiently by the pond. "Thank you, Kaeopora. Tell me, will I see you again?"

"Hoot! Yes, I'm only a talon away. Hoot!" He spread his wings gracefully. "Be careful, Link."

I watched him go, his words fresh in my mind. "Link! Place Zelda over the saddle!"

"Huh?" I turned around to see Nabooru already on her horse. "Alright." Placing Zelda on the horse, I got on myself and Nabooru was off into Hyrule field. Again, I asked where were we going, but she would not answer. Instead of worrying about our next stop, I replayed Kaepora's words in my head. Hmm...be careful? Did Kaepora know something I did not?

After a few minutes passed, Nabooru stopped the horse in front of a fenced-in ranch. She jumped off the horse and said, "this is Lon Lon Ranch. This should be a good spot to stay the rest of the night." I jumped off and dragged the horse inside, where we walked through a narrow passageway. This narrow passageway, however, opened up into a huge ranch.

"Back so soon?" A young girl with red hair walked out of a small building carrying a small pail of what looked like oats. She walked toward the horse and said, "how are you doing? I'm sure you treated Nabooru quite well, eh?" She smiled and patted the horse gently. That's when our eyes met. She slightly blushed, "how rude of me! Hello stranger, I'm part owner of this ranch. The name's Malon. And you are?"

"Link." I answered as I brought Zelda into my arms again.

"Oh my!" Malon stepped back, horrified, "whatever happened to her?"

Nabooru put a hand on Malon's shoulder. "No need to be alarmed. Listen, do you have a place to stay here? It's kind of getting dark and there was no other place to turn to." Nabooru voice sounded so cold as she spoke. Almost as if she didn't care about Zelda, one of her fellow sages.

Still looking at Zelda, Malon nodded. "There's a room upstairs that no one uses."

"Can you show me?" I asked, slightly daunted by Zelda's weight.

She signaled me to follow her, while Nabooru took the horse toward the ranch. As Malon opened the door and led me inside one of the small shacks, an old man sat by a lamp reading to his...cuccos? Malon turned to me, "don't worry about papa...he's very attached to his cuccos."

"Well, what do we have here?" The man looked up with a genuine smile.

"This is Link," she turned to me, "he'll be staying here for the night."

"Talon, put it there," he took his hand back, "oh...you can't."

Malon cleared her throat, "follow me, Link."

The room was a decent size. It had a bed, two dressers, and a window. As a put Zelda delicately on the bed, Malon opened the window to get some air into the musty place. She looked back at me and said, "I'll go fetch a pail of water so you can clean the wound."

Hearing the door close behind her, I dragged a small bucket next to Zelda's bed and sat down. It seemed that the potion had not taken effect. Her face was still deathly pale and her pulse was still slow. Could she really be dying? What if the arrow was poisoned?

"Here you are," Malon crept into the room and placed a pail of water and a washcloth by my feet. "Do you need any help?"

I shook my head, "thank you, Malon. For everything."

"You're welcome." She curtsied and walked out the door.

Dipping the washcloth into the warm water, I slightly ripped Zelda's shirt and placed it on her wound. "Zelda, you can't die." As I held the cloth down, I started thinking about the argument we had. What was I thinking? Zelda was the closest thing I had to a real friend...and I was pushing her away.

"I'm sorry, Zelda," I placed the cloth back into the water. "You were there for me during my quest. You saw how lonely I was during those years...that's why you wanted to send me back to live with the Kokiri people. You were right in your judgment. I shouldn't of..." I scrunched the cloth tightly, letting the excess water stream out.

"Link?" I sniffed, not realizing that Nabooru had stepped in. "Is everything alright?"

I threw the cloth back into the pail and stormed out of the door. I needed air. I needed to get away...

I found myself at the ranch, staring at the horses trampling across the plateau freely. "Anything I can get you, Link?" Before I turned around, I knew it was Malon. She had this sweet voice to her that couldn't hurt a skulltula. "How's that horse ride?" I pointed to a foal with a white mane.

"This one? She's a great horse." Malon clasped her hands together, "she hasn't been out for awhile, would you like to take her around the track a few times?" I nodded as she walked toward a barn and brought out a saddle. "She'll be ready in a moment."

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I heard that you found my dad! How did you like the castle? Did you see the princess? Hee Hee!

Was that Malon? No, it couldn't have been.

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Oh, Epona! She's grown fond of you, fairy boy!

"Here you are," Malon walked up to me and handed me the reins. "Use carrots to make her grow faster."

I nodded as she pointed toward a pouch on the mane's back. Hoisting myself onto the horse, I whipped the reins gently and watched her break into a trot. "Alright, I know you can do better than that!" Yes, I was talking to a horse. I whipped the reins once again and she picked up speed. "Good, YAH!"

She was a good horse, better than the one's back at home. As she quickened her pace, I spotted low fences up ahead. I smacked her hindquarters and she rapidly jumped over the first two obstacles with ease. She was a very good horse. "Alright, here come another two."

Losing myself within the track, I forgot about all my worries. But one wouldn't disappear from my mind. Ganon. What if I couldn't awaken the Hero of Time? With Zelda in her condition, who will help me? What if I can't beat him this time? He was a tiny thread that wove itself into everyone's web.

After covering the track about four times, I brought her to a gallop and we slowly moved toward Malon, who was brushing one of the horses. Jumping off the horse, I walked toward Malon. I wasn't alone though. The horse brushed its muzzle against my arm affectionately.

"Oh, she's grown fond of you!"

My head jerked up at Malon's words. "It was you.."

"Beg your pardon, Link?" She asked as she placed the brush down.

"No, nothing." I turned to look at the horse, "is this horse called _Epona _by any chance?"

Her eyes traveled to mine. "Y-yes, it is."

"That's a nice name," I turned away from the bewildered girl.

"How....How did you know her name was Epona?"

I smiled weakly, "wild guess."

I could tell she knew I was lying. The way she talked to me afterward was evidence enough. I didn't mean to lie to her. It wasn't like I could just go tell her that I actually knew her in the past, but I was sent back with the ocarina to re-live my life. It would be a sight to see though.

After saying our goodbyes, I rested against the barn wall, watching the moon and the stars decorate the sky. Though it was a beautiful sight, it brought a frown to my face because it made me think of what would happen if Ganon ever got to rule Hyrule...again.

"Nice night, huh?"

Blue eyes met blue eyes. "What are you doing out of bed?"

"I'm a necromancer," she looked at me softy, "besides, the damage wasn't that bad."

I knew Zelda could cast magic spells to cure the weak, but this was a different story. Did she even have enough energy to cast a spell like that? Saria used to tell me that it took a great amount of energy to cast very difficult spells. "Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Fine," she slowly made her way into a squatting position, "now, tell me what happened while I was doused."

"Didn't Nabooru fill you in?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

She shook her head, "she was already sleeping when I woke up."

"Well.." There really wasn't much to tell her, except for the fact that we had a new member to the team and that I was getting more and more visions about my past life as the Hero of Time. She only listened patiently as I finished telling her everything.

"That's rational," she looked at me, "the new people you are seeing are triggering old memories."

I nodded as she continued, "I had a couple of visions too..."

"About Ganon?"

"I'm not sure," she sighed sadly, "One...was with an army of Gerudo...and some Hyrulians." She held her head. "Another was with a man talking about connecting the two rivers of Hyrule together so he can have full access to all of Hyrule. The last vision was weird....it had some guy making potion...with his own blood."

"Own blood? Sounds like Ganon."

Zelda nodded, "but...why?"

"Who knows," I yawned, "I mean, why did he escape the sage void?"

"I was thinking about that too. The only way you can escape a void is if the person who created the void...opened it again." She looked toward the sky, "but there has to be another way. None of the sages wanted him to walk this earth again...we knew what destruction he brought.."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Link!" She held her shoulder, "you really have no faith in us sages, do you?"

"It's not that," I sighed, "you just can't always forsake the impossible."

"Maybe so, but who would really want to bring Ganon back?"

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~To be continued...~

I should be able to update more often with my new sense of direction. Hopefully, it's better than what I had up before. Please tell me what you think, your comments are greatly appreciated. Well, until next time friends.....

Jellybob 15


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